Asianet Star Communications


Asianet STAR Communications, formerly Asianet Communications, is an Indian media company owned by Star India, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. Asianet STAR Communications operates Malayalam channels Asianet, Asianet Plus, Asianet Middle East, and Asianet Movies, Kannada channels Star Suvarna and Star Suvarna Plus and Tamil channels Star Vijay and Star Vijay Super.
Malayalam and Kannada news channels, Asianet News and Suvarna News, are wholly owned by Asianet News Network, a subsidiary of Jupiter Capital. Both Asianet News Network channels and STAR India channels use the brand-name and the "Asianet" logo.
Asianet Communications was the first entertainment television company in Malayalam. STAR India started discussions with the then owners of the Asianet in August, 2008. STAR India eventually bought a 51% stake in Asianet Communications and formed joint venture with JEV in November, 2008. The joint venture, called "STAR Jupiter", comprised all general entertainment channels of Asianet Communications and Star Vijay. Star India had reportedly paid $235 million in cash for the 51% stake and assumed net debt of approximately $20 million.
STAR India increased its stake in Asianet Communications to 75% in July 2010, and to 87%, by acquiring 12% stake for $160 million in June, 2013. The later move was by virtue of acquiring a 19% equity stake in Vijay TV from Rajeev Chandrasekhar and Asianet Communications MD Madhavan. Following the June, 2013 investment, Asianet Communications was valued at $1.33 billion. STAR India acquired 100% stake in Asianet Communications in March, 2014.
Upon Disney acquiring Fox, Asianet Star Communications, along with all of Star India's subsidiaries, became subsidiaries of The Walt Disney Company, and restructuring put them under Disney India.

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